


The Specter of Death hangs over this friendship

by Benwilson



Category: Avengers Arena, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M, Gen, M/M, fixing a friendship, gay/straight friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-17
Updated: 2013-12-17
Packaged: 2018-01-04 22:41:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1086507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Benwilson/pseuds/Benwilson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a week before Aiden breaks the silence.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Specter of Death hangs over this friendship

It's the same every day. Since they had been taken to the Jean Grey institute for higher learning, Aiden would show up at his door, and Cullen would stand in the doorway.

 

And they would just look at each other.

 

Cullen didn't know what he expected. An apology maybe. A violent encounter probably. If it was a good thing, Aiden never had to know that there was a shotgun hidden just behind the door, ready for that moment that he snapped and attacked Cullen.

 

It was a week later, after the telepaths had been and gone, and they'd been urged to make friends and connections outside of what had happened outside the Arena. Yet, Cammi still lurked in Cullen's periphery, watching his back like a hawk. And Reptil and Hazmat looked ready to snap whenever anyone walked towards the other.

 

It's a week later when Aiden talks.

 

"Hello."

 

It's stilted, and awkward, and almost worse than the perpetual silence they've been living in. But Cullen has to nod and reply.

 

"Hey."

 

"You killed Nara."

 

Technically, the Galtrox killed Nara. Technically, Arcade killed her. Technically... Aiden wouldn't care about technicalities. Cullen himself knew that those were all lies to himself.

 

"I did."

 

"She rescued you. And you killed her."

 

"I didn't want to. No part of what happened there..."

 

"I can't hate you," Aiden cut in, shaking his head, "He can. The part of the guy who was here before me? He wants me to cave your skull in."

 

"I kinda thought you two were both in agreement," Cullen shrugged, his body untensing a little.

 

"For a while, in Murderworld... But... you're my best friend. You've been with me through everything. You were there for me when I ended up in this body. You were there for me when I first got to Braddocks..."

 

Cullen took a deep breath, his mind flashing back to when his sister saved him from the other universe. When she'd seen the village he had massacred. The ecosystem he had destroyed.

 

_"It wasn't your fault. I forgive you."_ She had said, shaking her head. It had always been a lie. 

 

"Don't forgive me," he snapped suddenly, making Aiden take a step back, "it's my fault she's dead!"

 

Aiden's eyes darkened, and his hands flexed at his side.

 

Cullen took a deep breath, and reached pointedly behind the door for the shot gun.

 

"You know, you'd have more luck just taking off the ring. At least then it'd be a challenge to kill you," Aiden spat, and they both stood in silence for a good few minutes.

 

"See, not so happy to be around me are you," Cullen muttered, letting the shotgun go.

 

Aiden continued to glare, but the insanity in his eyes died. "I can forgive you if I want to forgive you,” he said harshly, as though he was the one who was angry.

 

Cullen shook his head violently, "I won't let you. I killed her."

 

"The Galtrox part of you killed her."

 

"You don't think that I wanted you for myself?"

 

It was like a blow, and Aiden took a few steps away from Cullen's door. "You don't mean it like that."

 

"I do. Why do you think I was your friend for so long? I wanted to get into those immortal celtic pants of yours." Taking a step forward, Cullen continued, "Yeah, Aiden. You get me so hot, that it's all I can do not to..."

 

The hands launch out in a split second, and Cullen yelped as one grabbed his wrist, and the other intertwined in his. For a moment it's almost a romantic gesture, until Cullen places it for what it really is. Holding the ring on his finger tight.

 

He's slammed hard into the wall opposite his room. Aiden's breath is hot on his face, and Cullen could almost be scared if Aiden wasn't smirking.

 

"Yeah, grab me just like that. I really want you to..."

 

"Want me to what, Cullen?" Aiden said with that damned smirk, "Go on."

 

"I want you to... fuck off, you ridiculous prick!" Cullen snapped, trying to buck Aiden off him, and only managing to make a bunch of noise.

 

The door next to them slammed open, and Victor stumbled into the hallway, clad only in boxers, his huge, green carapace arm at the ready to fight. His face only grew colder as he took in the scene before him.

 

"Are you okay, Cullen?" He asked, his arm flexing.

 

"He's fine." Aiden said calmly, not taking his eyes off Cullen for a moment.

 

"I'm sure he can answer for himself," Victor said coldly. "Cullen? Do you want to come into my room for a minute? Greymalkin is in there."

 

"This isn't a gay bashing, Greeny." Aiden rolled his eyes, "We just have somethings that need to be sorted out."

 

"I'm fine, Victor." Cullen said softly, releasing a little tension from his body, "Seriously."

 

"... Okay. But no more violence. If I hear anything above normal talking volume, I'm bringing the entire floor up here, you understand?" The last part of his warning was aimed at Aiden, who nodded tightly. Victor looked between the two of them once more before stepping back inside, his door left ajar.

 

"I really don't have a good track record with the gays," Aiden said after a moment, cocking his head.

 

"Maybe because you refer to us as the gays, ass hat."

 

"Well, hey! I'm a computer nerd at heart. You know what MMO's language is like!"

 

Cullen shook his head, "So you hate the gays."

 

"No. Don't be ridiculous."

 

"But you're grossed out by me having a crush on you."

 

"No. Don't put words in my mouth," Aiden insisted, letting go of Cullens wrist, but the other remaining firmly on Cullen's hand. "I'm fine with it. Feel a bit guilty after all the joking around we did, that I never saw it. But...I'm not going to hate you for loving me."

 

"It's starting to add up." Cullen sighed, "You make out like we've been friends forever Aiden, but... how do you know I wasn't your friend because I liked the view."

 

"Because you were the only guy at the place who'd make an effort to laugh at my nerdy jokes, and watch movies with me, and go out into the town and..." Aiden paused, looking confused for a moment, "Wait, were we dating?"

 

"Ha, bloody, ha." Cullen snapped, "I killed your girlfriend. I nearly killed everyone in Murderworld. I'm gay. I..."

 

"Honestly? I don't give two shits, Cullen," Aiden said softly, "I mean, you killed my girlfriend, but we were in an impossible situation, and you were out of control. I killed Brian, you've got to have been pissed about that."

 

"How do you mean?"

 

"Come on, Teenage Captain Britain? You had to have a crush on him." Aiden said, smirking again.

 

"Oh, fuck you!"

 

"Bet you'd like that."

 

"Urgh!" Cullen grunted, throwing his head back, "You're so annoying!"

 

"But I'm hot, so I'm good." Aiden laughed, shrugging and finally letting go of Cullen's hand, "You know... the only thing I'm upset about is that you didn't tell me you liked me. You think I wouldn't have been okay with it?"

 

"I didn't tell anyone. Elsa doesn't know, I never told my dad," Cullen shrugged, "I wasn't ready to start with you."

 

"Well that's shit. I can accept the fact that you turn into a Galtrox demon. You don't think I can accept that you want a bit of bum fun?"

 

"Okay, never call it that again." Cullen said, making a disgusted face.

 

"Well, sorry, I haven't had chance to google the information yet."

 

"What?!"

 

"Well, I want to know what's going on here, so I can be a good best friend. I mean, you were there for me when I had all the questions about stuff."

 

"Oh my god, you're insufferable."

 

"But you looooove me." Aiden said, in a sing song voice.

 

Aiden paused, and looked Cullen over again, and then very honestly replied. "Yes. I do."

 

"And I'm cool with that. Now lets go and play some computer games or something, okay? And try and get back to normal."

 

"Sure."

 

"And maybe you'll introduce me to that Cammi girl? I mean, she's really cute."

 

Cullen snorted, and pointed to his room. "Get in there, okay? I'm gonna tell Vic there's nothing to worry about."

 

"Getting me alone in your room, eh? How scandalous." Aiden snorted, but stepped into the room, and sat on the bed pointedly, grabbing the remote. "Your shotgun fell over by the way."

 

"Dick." Cullen muttered under his breath, but couldn't help but smile. He stuck his head into Vic's room and nodded to let him know everything was okay. Walking back across the hall, he could see Cammi at the other end of the hall, arms crossed watching him with a sly smile. She nodded to him too, and went back to polishing one of her guns.

 

Back in his room, Cullen sat on the bed awkwardly, until Aiden threw an arm around him and pulled them both back against the wall. His other hand flicked on the TV on the wall, and he relaxed as the news flicked on at a low volume.

 

Cullen sat awkwardly for a few minutes, watching a report on the Avengers fighting some C lister. After a few moments, Aiden started to stroke his arm soothingly. When that didn't work though, he rolled his eyes, and turned to glare at Cullen. "Dude, relax into the cuddling. You're being weird."

 

"I don't cuddle."

 

"Yeah, you're a fearsome Galtrox demon from the depths of hell. I'm a fat kid in the body of an immortal Celtic god and I can still cuddle." Aiden scoffed, pulling Cullen in tight. "Now relax, we're gonna have to get back to normal sooner rather than later."

 

It's an hour later when Cullen brought it up.

 

"How do you think superheroes do it."

 

"Do what?" Aiden asked, letting go of Cullen's arm, and turning to look at him.

 

"Survive after killing people."

 

"Generally they don't. Kill people. I mean, other than the Hulk and Wolverine." Aiden shrugged, "But, when the Hulk kills people, Bruce Banner finds ways to fix it."

 

"So, I killed Nara, and I need to fix it. Got any suggestions?"

 

"Become a superhero? Never kill again, and do something that makes the world great." Aiden shrugged. "Hey, maybe you can be my gay butler."

 

"I'm gonna take off my ring and punch you." Cullen grumbled, glaring.

 

"No you won't."

 

"No, I won't."

 

"You know... I love you a little. Not like in a gay way, but...You're my best friend." Aiden said softly.

 

Cullen smiled sadly, "Yeah, I know."

 

It took a week to get back to a level of normality.

 

It was months before Aiden could say I forgive you, and Cullen wouldn’t flinch.

  
It was years before Cullen could forgive himself.

**Author's Note:**

> Obviously, Aiden is traumatized by what happened too. But I think the immortal part of his mind helps soften the blow after a while, as a defense mechanism to all the loss the god would have seen over the millennium. But Cullen was my focus in all of this.


End file.
